Elastic and inelastic diffraction of fast atoms,\linebreak Debye-Waller factor and Mössbauer-Lamb-Dicke regime

Abstract

The diffraction of fast atoms at crystal surfaces is ideal for a detailed investigation of the surface electronic density. However, instead of sharp diffraction spots, most experiments show elongated streaks characteristic of inelastic diffraction. This paper describes these inelastic profiles in terms of individual inelastic collisions with surface atoms taking place along the projectile trajectory and leading to vibrational excitation of the local Debye oscillator. A quasi-elastic regime where only one inelastic event contributes is identified as well as a mixed quantum-classical regime were several inelastic collision are involved. These regimes describe a smooth evolution of the scattering profiles from sharp spots to elongated streaks merging progressively into the classical diffusion regime.

References in corpus (7)

• Diffraction of fast atoms and molecules from surfaces
• Coherent reflection of He atom beams from rough surfaces at near-grazing incidence
• Semi-quantum approach for fast atom diffraction: solving the rainbow divergence
• Image processing for grazing incidence fast atom diffraction
• The interaction of atoms with LiF(001) revisited
• Helium diffraction on SiC grown graphene, qualitative and quantitative description with the hard corrugated wall model
• Atom beam triangulation of organic layers at 100 meV normal energy: self-assembled perylene on Ag(110) at room temperature

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Refraction of fast Ne atoms in the attractive well of LiF(001) surface
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• A large area high resolution imaging detector for fast atom diffraction
• Thermal effects on helium scattering from LiF(001) at grazing incidence
• Energy loss and inelastic diffraction of fast atoms at grazing incidence
• Temperature dependence in fast-atom diffraction at surfaces
• Revisiting Atomic Collisions Physics with highly charged ions, A tribute to Michel Barat
• Decoherent phonon effects in fast atom-surface scattering
• Diffraction of fast heavy noble gas atoms, Ar, Kr and Xe on a LiF(001) surface Changing the tip of a 'perfect' AFM